THE FUSE

Whether or not avoidance is a maladaptive coping mechanism is something that psychiatrists and psychologists debate. In the view of some authors, avoidance is a maladaptive behavior because it can hinder social events and learning engagement, and thus should be remedied. This view is simplistic and does not account for the lack of habituation that is shown in persons with misophonia. When we think of misophonia through the lens of sensory regulation and the fight-flight-freeze response, it is only natural that a person with misophonia would want to avoid a trigger or leave the room when it happens. The easiest way to not be distressed is to not be in the presence of the stressor!